Interactive Effects of Dementia Severity and Comorbidities on Medicare Expenditures.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Few studies have examined how dementia and comorbidities may interact to affect healthcare expenditures.

Objective

To examine whether effects of dementia severity on Medicare expenditures differed for individuals with different levels of comorbidities.

Methods

Data are drawn from the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP). Comprehensive clinical assessments of dementia severity were systematically carried out at ∼18 month intervals. Dementia severity was measured by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). Comorbidities were measured by a modified Elixhauser comorbidities index. Generalized linear models examined effects of dementia severity, comorbidities, and their interactions on Medicare expenditures (1999-2010).

Results

At baseline, 1,

SUBMITTER: Zhu CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5461168 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature